Daijiworld Media Network - Margao
Margao, Nov 10: Motorists in Goa are facing unnecessary harassment after receiving Rs 2,000 traffic challans from AI-powered surveillance cameras for allegedly driving uninsured vehicles, despite having paid their insurance premiums and renewed their policies within the stipulated time.
The issue has reportedly arisen because insurance companies have failed to promptly update premium payment details on the Vahan portal, resulting in validly insured vehicles being flagged as uninsured by the AI-powered surveillance system.
Several aggrieved vehicle owners have complained that they received challans despite having fulfilled their legal obligation of renewing their insurance policies and paying the required premiums on time.
When some of the affected motorists approached the Road Transport Office (RTO) at Margao with copies of their insurance documents, officials handling the AI camera surveillance system reportedly informed them that the payment details had not been updated on the Vahan portal by their respective insurance companies.
Caught between insurance companies and the AI-powered surveillance system, vehicle owners are now being forced to approach both agencies to get their payment details updated and resolve the challans.
Questioning the apparent negligence of insurance companies, an aggrieved vehicle owner asked why motorists should be made to suffer for administrative lapses beyond their control.
He questioned whether the government could direct insurance companies to strictly follow the prescribed norms and ensure that every premium payment is promptly reflected on the Vahan portal.
The vehicle owner further said that motorists approaching the RTO office at Arlem were being directed to the office handling the AI camera surveillance system, where they were advised to use an online grievance redressal link to resolve the issue.
However, he pointed out that not everyone was familiar with online systems and that several vehicle owners, particularly those who are not technologically savvy, were finding it difficult to navigate the procedures.
He said motorists should not be made to suffer because of technical or administrative lapses on the part of insurance companies, especially when they had already paid their premiums within the prescribed period.
Seeking immediate government intervention, the vehicle owner urged Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho to address the issue and spare motorists unnecessary harassment and inconvenience.
He demanded that the government issue a circular directing all insurance companies to establish an effective mechanism to ensure that insurance premium payments are promptly and automatically updated on the Vahan portal.
The affected motorists have also urged the government to direct the private agency managing the AI-powered surveillance cameras to streamline its grievance redressal mechanism by setting up a dedicated help desk.
They said such a facility should be made compulsory at the concerned office to guide motorists through the online complaint process and help rectify discrepancies. Those unfamiliar with digital systems should not be left to struggle with the procedures on their own, they added.
Meanwhile, Assistant Director of RTO (Enforcement) Nixon Soares has assured that he would take up the matter with the Director of Transport by writing to him about the difficulties faced by vehicle owners who have received challans despite paying their insurance premiums on time.
Acknowledging that motorists were not responsible for the discrepancies resulting in the issuance of such challans, Soares said his office would bring the matter to the notice of the Transport Director and urge him to issue a circular directing insurance companies to promptly update insurance premium payment details on the Vahan portal.
RTO officials familiar with the issue have also expressed concern over the unnecessary harassment faced by vehicle owners through no fault of their own.
An RTO official pointed out that vehicle owners could not be held responsible for an issue that fell within the domain of insurance companies. The AI surveillance agency, too, could not be blamed as challans were generated based on the information available on the Vahan portal, the official said.
The motorists have urged the government and transport authorities to intervene urgently and ensure that vehicle owners holding valid insurance policies are not penalised because of delays or failures by insurance companies in updating their records.